Nan Goldin is an American photographer known for her deeply personal and candid portraiture. Born in 1953, she gained prominence in the 1980s with her influential work, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, which documents her life and the lives of her friends in the LGBTQ+ community. Her photographs often explore themes of intimacy, love, and the struggles of addiction. Goldin's style is characterized by its rawness and emotional depth, capturing moments that are both beautiful and painful. She has been a significant figure in contemporary art, influencing many artists and movements, particularly in the realm of documentary photography and feminist art.